Goodbye is for Tomorrow
by IndustrialIllusion
Summary: She is a human, He is a demon, and her life is but a whisper, a flicker in time compared to his, and though love is blind, time is not.
1. Yet you Remain the Same

_ **A/N: He he he so I'm trying really hard to finish this one, I promise!**_

_Goodbye is for Tomorrow_

"_Lord Sesshomaru?"_

_ Sesshomaru inclined his head toward the girl. "Hn? What is it?"_

_ She plucked at the grass shyly "I was wondering, if I died one day, would you always remember me?"_

_ She didn't see the surprise register on his face. He quickly quashed the emotion. "Don't talk about such silly things," He said with false offhandedness. He thought for a moment what a human life meant. How long had Rin been following him? A year? Perhaps two? For him, it was nothing, a blink of an eye, and her lifetime, compared to his was just a short season that passed just as quickly as from summer to fall. _

_ And yet…_

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Sesshomaru's eyes rose to see the girl running over the peak of the hill, an irritated looking half demon and a miko holding a strange looking umbrella above her head to stave of the onslaught of rain that had been continuing for almost three days.

The corners of Sesshomaru's lips tilted up slightly in a rare display of happiness. My, how she had grown; he had only seen her rarely in the last two years, and now that she was eighteen years old, she mad matured into a woman. Sesshomaru had always been mildly fascinated with the rapid rate at which humans grew and then just as fast, withered away. Withered away? His Rin too, would one day wither and finally die.

Rin laughed mirthfully as she threw herself onto Sesshomaru, her arms wrapping around him, Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sesshomaru himself stood rooted to the spot with shock plain on their faces. Sesshomaru was the first to recover from the initial surprise. He placed a hand on top of her head as she looked up at him happily.

"Rin, I assume you're in good health?"

Rin smiled widely. "Of course! Inuyasha and Kagome have been wonderful hosts!" Rin suppressed the urge to laugh as her master and Inuyasha locked eyes for a minute and glared.

Kagome was the first to break the tense silence that had quickly gone from brotherly rivalry to an uncomfortable silence, during which the brothers tried to stare one another into submission. "Well let's not stand in the rain any more than necessary. Sesshomaru, wouldn't you come down to the village?"

Sesshomaru shook his head, much to Rin's chagrin. "I must be leaving right away."

Rin pulled away from him. He had said! He had said that when she was an adult, then he would come for her. Perhaps he had forgotten.

"Rin, will you be coming?" He asked then. He hadn't forgotten! "If you wish, you may stay in the human village."

Rin shook her head immediately. "No, I wish to stay with Lord Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru nodded curtly, and then in his usual fashion, turned immediately to leave. Of course, Rin, by now, was accustomed to this, and had not assumed that two years would change this habit in him.

Kagome had also remembered this habit and handed Rin the pack she had prior prepared for her.

Rin accepted the package. "Oh Kagome, you've been kind enough to me already, you didn't need to do this." She truly did feel badly for just leaving Kagome and Inuyasha after all that they had done for her. She felt as though she owed them for everything, and was repaying them by leaving.

Kagome shook her head. "Think nothing of it Rin. Just know that you always have a place here, right, Inuyasha?"

"Yeah, course." Inuyasha relied quietly, never having been one for goodbyes.

Rin noticed that Sesshomaru was beginning to get quite far away, and turned to follow. "Thank you for everything! Goodbye Kagome, goodbye Inuyasha!" she yelled over her shoulder as she ran to catch up with Sesshomaru.

When she finally caught up to him, she walked by his side, noticing for the first time how much she had grown. She remembered that once, when she had been young, she had been running to keep up with Sesshomaru and had tripped. She had reached out and caught hold of the end of Sesshomaru's sleeve to steady herself. Now she stood as tall as his shoulder. Had it really been that long? Almost ten years since her Lord had revived her, and brought her out of the misery she had known living among humans.

Sesshomaru cast her a curious sideways glance after feeling her gaze on him. "What is it, Rin?"

Rin snapped back to reality at the mention of her name. "Oh, ah, nothing, my Lord. It's just, I noticed that I've gotten much taller since I last saw you."

He nodded. "You've changed so much."

"And you've stayed exactly the same."

Sesshomaru blinked and looked at her quizzically. "Did you expect something else? I am a demon."

"I know," she said, embarrassed, "It's just, I can't help but notice these things, sometimes."

"You should be happy you're not so small anymore," he said, offhandedly.

Rin gave him a flat look. "I'm still smaller than you."

"It would be upsetting if you weren't," he replied coolly.

Rin rolled her eyes. And walked ahead of Sesshomaru, looking up into the grey sky, the rain pelting her face. She felt a tugging on her hair, and turned to see Sesshomaru grasping a lock of her hair.

"Your hair has gotten to be so long," he started, mostly to himself.

"I always admired Lord Sesshomaru's hair as a child."

"You've certainly grown it to match mine in length," He said nonchalantly.

Rin said nothing, but turned her attention to the pack Kagome had given her in order to hide her blushing face from Sesshomaru. How silly, she had no reason to blush. She pulled a strange looking umbrella from within the pack, and opened it, falling back into step beside Sesshomaru so that he could be under the Umbrella too.

Sesshomaru eyed the strange thing suspiciously. "Don't be silly Rin, I'm not so weak as to be affected by rain," he said irritated.

"Staying dry is not silly, Lord Sesshomaru. It's just common sense."

If it was anyone else, Sesshomaru would have reminded them to watch their tongue, but instead he just teasingly tugged the girl's long hair. "Perhaps keeping your hair so long was not such a good idea, if you're not careful, it gets caught on things."

"It appears that you have picked up some of my childish habits, my Lord," she said as evenly as if she was speaking of the weather.

Sesshomaru was aghast. Surely this could not be his Rin, could it? He smiled in spite of himself, much to Rin's delight.

"Perhaps leaving you in the care of that Miko was not the best idea. Surely you didn't learn such things from my half-witted brother. I hope a silver tongue isn't the only thing that you were taught?"

"Of course not!" she replied indignantly. "Among other things, I have become quite the archer," she said, proudly brandishing the short bow she had retrieved from the pack, balancing the bag in the same arm she held the umbrella with

"Oh?" Sesshomaru asked? "I thought that you would have been instructed in another weapon.

Rin sighed, immediately sounding defeated. "I thought I would be too, but Inuyasha refused to teach me how to wield a sword. He said he was a terrible teacher."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Undoubtedly." They remained together in companionable silence as they walked for a long while before Sesshomaru spoke. "I will teach you."

"Really?" Rin exclaimed, turning to him quickly, accidentally hitting him with the umbrella. She looked on, aghast that she had hit Sesshomaru. "Ah, I'm so sorry, my Lord!"

Sesshomaru looked at her unimpressed. "Yes, really, we will begin your instruction as soon as we arrive at the western palace."

Rin smiled hugely, and Sesshomaru, for some inexplicable reason, began to feel happy himself. "Oh thank you, Lord Sesshomaru!" she said excitedly

"Think nothing of it, just try to avoid hitting me with the umbrella every time you become happy," he said evenly, taking silent pleasure in seeing Rin's face color red.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, embarrassed, ducking her head.

He took the Umbrella from her hand and held it over the two of them, causing Rin to turn a deeper shade of crimson.

Maybe this was his Rin after all.


	2. His Father's Odder Habits

A/N: I'm really enjoying writing this so far, and you'll all be glad to know that I have a fairly clear idea of what I want to happen. Also, please forgive minor spelling errors. I bore easily, so proofreading is not my forte. In addition to that, both my 'e' key and 'j' key have to be mashed down with a killing blow for them to actually type, so sorry in advance.

Goodbye is for Tomorrow

Chapter 2

When the sun came up the next day, the rain had subsided, and the sun shone brightly through the trees, casting the forest in a lovely green glow. Sesshomaru turned to Rin, who was currently sagged against his shoulder, her body curled against his side. It reminded him of a time when she was a child. Rin never wanted to sleep when Sesshomaru was around, and seemed content to play, or try to involve him in children's games. Sometimes though, on clear nights, she would come and sit in Sesshomaru's lap and listen to him tell her about the stars, and she watched as he pointed out pictures that the stars formed together, and eventually, she would fall asleep there.

Rin stirred from her sleep, as if awoken by his thinking about her. She sat up and rubbed her face as if to remove the remnants of sleep that remained there. She looked at him and smiled widely.

He cocked his head slightly to the side. "What are you smiling about?"

She suddenly looked at her boots as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. "I'm just happy to be by your side again."

He suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Rin had been anguished when he had told her that he was sending her away for a time. She had taken it hard; she had thought it was her fault, that she had done something to anger him. In truth, he had sent her away because of the feelings that he had felt growing for the girl, feelings that were very unbecoming of a youkai.

_"Please Lord Sesshomaru, please, I beg you, don't send me away. Please tell Rin what she has one to anger you!"_

_ This was harder than he thought it would be. "Rin, you have done nothing wrong. And it is not forever, just a short while," he assured her._

_ "But my Lord, I'm so afraid that you'll forget; that you won't come back for me!"_

_ "Rin I promise that in two years, after you are eighteen summers old, I will come for you, and I will give you the choice of coming with me, or staying in the human village."_

_ She sunk to her knees. "Please, please, don't send me away, I don't want to leave you," she cried imploringly._

_ Sesshomaru went to one knee in front of her._

_ "Please, my Lord."_

_ He placed a hand on her cheek and wiped the tear that had fallen there with his thumb. "Be still," he told her, and then, quick as a blink, he placed a feather-light kiss on her forehead._

"My lord?" Rin asked, clearly not for the first time, rousing Sesshomaru from his daydreaming.

"Yes, two years was a long time," Sesshomaru replied, getting to his feet.

"Is it time to leave?" Rin asked.

"Hn." He nodded, and began walking.

Rin quickly gathered her pack and tied it around her shoulders. "Are we close, my Lord?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "In all likelihood, we will be there by mid afternoon."

"What's the western palace like?" she asked excitedly.

He gave a slight shrug. "Large, I suppose."

Rin frowned. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but what will I do at the palace?"

He regarded her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Well, what will my duties be?"

His quizzical look deepened. "You will have very few, I imagine, besides those you choose for yourself. You will be my personal attendant, I suppose."

"Personal attendant," she said, gauging the sound of it. "That sounds too important for me," she said nervously. She had never lived the life of anything more important than a peasant girl.

Sesshomaru flashed one of his rare small smiles. "Silly girl, it involves doing little more than what you do already."

She blinked and gave him an inquiring look. "Which is?"

He shrugged. "You will be my official companion."

She laughed. "That sounds easy enough."

How strange, no one had ever thought of him as being easy to deal with, quite the opposite, actually. Everyone had always gone out of their way to avoid Sesshomaru. With good reason, he thought. He'd been quite irritable since he had left Rin with Inuyasha and the priestess. He'd been constantly restless, and he'd angrily lash out at anyone who mildly offended him in any way whatsoever.

He thought of his mother, who would be immensely satisfied with herself when she found that he had brought Rin. He thought of her words.

_"Would you just go fetch yourself that human girl already? Your constant moping is grating on my nerves, Sesshomaru."_

He sighed to himself and looked to Rin, who was amusing herself by reaching up to see if she could steal the leaves of low hanging branches. He must truly be mad if he was willing to look like a fool in front of his mother for this girl.

..:)O(:..

"Lord Sesshomaru! Is that it? It's enormous!" she exclaimed, cresting this hill before he did.

"Yes, that is the Western Palace," he confirmed, coming to stand beside her. The sprawling expanse of the castle was indeed, a huge fortress, surrounded by tall walls, and in the centre, a five story tower, surrounded by other buildings, in addition to training grounds for soldiers. The village sprawled out around the walls, bustling with people. The whole thing was a magnificent sight to behold. "Come, Rin," he said, walking down the hill towards the castle.

"Yes master," she said happily, following closely behind.

As they walked though village, people gave Sesshomaru wide berth, recognizing him as their future Lord; the fearsome Sesshomaru, and their Lady's only son. The people all seemed to give Rin strange looks. Rin stayed close to Sesshomaru, feeling threatened by their looks, while he seemed to remain unaffected by them, and even looking unaware that there were even people around him.

"What is wrong, Rin?" He asked. Perhaps he really was unaware.

"All the people keep giving me strange looks," she said quietly.

"They're probably trying to decide if you are a demon or not," he replied offhandedly. "Pay them no heed."

Rin was almost glad when they approached the palace doors and walked through, the demons of Sesshomaru's court only affording her glances, knowing better than to stare while Sesshomaru was by her side.

Rin looked around in awe. She had never seen such luxury before. She immediately felt like trash compared to all of these demons dressed in the finest garments, and not covered in mud from travel with matted, wet hair. She immediately wanted to be somewhere else, and followed close in Sesshomaru's shadow. As they neared the palace itself, Sesshomaru spoke.

"When we get inside, servants will take you to the bath house, and will prepare you for dinner, where you will dine with my mother and I. She wishes to meet you."

"Y-your mother?" she asked nervously. All of this seemed like too much.

"Yes, she saved your life once, do you remember?"

She nodded. "Of course I remember, how could I forget?"

He shrugged and continued on, still apparently unaware of the demons who walked by him in close quarters. The castle doors opened, seemingly of their own accord as the two neared the castle, and they were immediately assaulted by a flurry of servants who began appraising Rin as if she were a piece of meat. She caught whispers from them, and among them, she heard the word, "human" over and over again.

"Would you lot give the girl some space?" he said, looking around as if to spot someone. "Hitsuji." He called.

A young woman who had been standing at a respectful distance stood alert. "Yes, My Lord." The other servants looked mildly disgusted. Rin looked at the girl, momentarily puzzled, when she realized that the girl was a half demon. Standing not much taller than Rin, the girl's hair was relatively short, only brushing the back of her neck, and it was a pale violet in color. Jutting from her temples were two spiral horns that marked her as a half demon, and long pointed ears that drooped slightly, just like a goat's. Somehow, the feature that was even more striking was her vibrant yellow eyes. At first, Rin couldn't pinpoint why they were so unusual, until she realized that the girl's pupils were ovoid in shape, and horizontal, much like a goat's. Rin unconsciously shuddered. She had thought that goat's eyes were scary, like they were plotting something. This demon though, had large, kind-looking doe eyes.

"Take Rin to her chambers," Sesshomaru told her.

Hitsuji seemed very pleased. "Yes, My lord," she said, walking towards Rin with a smile on her face. Her smile was contagious, and Rin found herself smiling at the girl.

"Come, Lady Rin," she said, leading Rin away from Sesshomaru.

"I will come fetch you for dinner later," he started as she followed Hitsuji out of the room.

Hitsuji led her to the second story, guiding her past shocked looking demons. "So you must be the girl Lord Sesshomaru has been so distressed about since his return," she said.

"Me?" Rin asked. "that's doubtful."

Hitsuji nodded and whispered to her in a conspiring way. "The lady herself tells me that you are the reason the Lord has been so restless."

Rin shook her head firmly. She had no such hold over Sesshomaru.

The girl nodded and smiled slyly, "I am the Lady's personal dresser, I know these things," she said, tapping her head with her finger.

Rin chose to change the subject. "If you don't mind my asking, I'm curious about how you serve in the palace if you're a half demon?"

"Actually, I'm not a half demon," the girl said, to Rin's surprise, "I am three quarters demon. Meaning my father was a hanyou, and my mother was full youkai."

Rin nodded in comprehension.

"It was actually the Lord who brought me here as a child."

"Really?" Rin asked, shocked.

Hitsuji nodded. "I was brought here from the continent as a child as a slave, and Lord Sesshomaru bought me from the man who owned me. I was very frightened, as I didn't know any of the language of this place, but Sesshomaru was very kind, and brought me here."

Rin smiled. As much as her Lord pretended not to, he had a kind heart, and although it rarely showed, it was certainly there. "Lord Sesshomaru always did have a soft spot for children," Rin mused.

Hitsuji regarded her curiously. "So, what exactly are you to the Lord?" she asked.

Rin looked away. "I don't really know," she replied.

"Well you certainly must be something," she stated, "The Lord left you a gift in your chambers."

"Really?" Rin asked.

Hitsuji nodded and abruptly turned, sliding open the door to her chamber, stepping aside so that Rin could enter first. The room was lovely, with a sliding door that opened to an outside patio, and a silk dressing screen in the corner, decorated with chrysanthemums. On the futon in the corner of the room was a bundle wrapped in paper, which Rin assumed was left for her by Lord Sesshomaru. She ran excitedly to the parcel and knelt before it, immediately recognizing it as a kimono wrapped in tatoshi paper. Rin smiled, she had always loved and treasured the children's Kimonos that the lord had sent her. She had all the ones she had ever received from him, the ones that she had outgrown stored in a trunk at Kagome and Inuyasha's house. She pulled the string on the parcel and began to unfold the tatoshi. Rin gasped as she pulled the paper back to reveal the marvelous kimono. She lifted it carefully and let it unfurl before her eyes. This was a formal furisode, with its long sleeves that were almost as long as the rest of the garment. This was a kimono meant for a young woman, not a child. The kimono was a striking twilight purple, fading into an orange sunset and finally into a swirl of watery blue and white at the bottoms of the sleeves and hem. The image depicted long, beautiful wisteria blooms in shades of lavender and pure white elegantly dipping into the surface of a pond, disturbing the otherwise pristine waters mildly, causing the flower's reflection in the water to waver, ever so slightly. It was the most exquisite thing Rin had ever seen.

"Do you like it?" Hitsuji asked shyly. "The Lord had me make it especially for you."

Rin spun to face Hitsuji. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, I can't ever possibly accept it!" she cried.

"Of course you can, it's yours."

"And, you made this?"

Hitsuji nodded. "Well, I painted and dyed the furisode, but Lord Sesshomaru was very specific about what he wanted it to look like." She smiled wryly. "Who knew the Lord had such an artistic mind?"

Rin was touched, which apparently was plain on her face, because Hitsuji gingerly took the furisode from Rin and began to fold it. "Quickly, before you begin to cry, Lady Rin, I will take you to the bathhouse.

The bathhouse was located in a different part of the building, and as Rin was told, there were multiple bath houses throughout the castle, and the one she was going to was reserved for nobility and honored guests, and was split into many different rooms where people could bathe privately if they wished, a luxury not afforded to those of the lower classes.

"Lady Rin, would you like me to assist you?" Hitsuji asked. It was unnerving for Rin of course, but this was normal for nobility. She had bathed with Sango and Kagome before, but it was strange to Rin to have someone in the bath with her specifically to help her bathe.

"No, that's alright," Rin replied.

Hitsuji nodded, shifting Rin's folded Kimono in her arms. "Come to the dressing room when you are finished bathing, so we may prepare you for dinner.

Rin nodded and shut herself into the bathhouse, immediately relaxing into the warm air. She stripped herself of her robe and let it fall to the floor. She eased herself into the hot water and felt her aching muscles being eased. As she began to bathe herself, she couldn't help it as her thoughts began to drift to Sesshomaru. She was so happy just to be by his side again, and was overjoyed that he seemed to have missed her during her absence. Perhaps to most, he was unreadable as a statue, but to Rin, the slightest changes in his face meant everything, and Sesshomaru had been happy to see her.

"Sesshomaru," she breathed his name, without honorifics and sighed. "Why do you want me here with you?" she asked out loud what she hadn't even dared to think to herself. "Why must you be so cryptic, you stubborn man?"

..:)O(:..

"Lady Rin, are you ready? The Lord summons you."

Rin nodded to herself, steeling her nerve. "Yes," she said, nervousness plain in her voice.

Hitsuji slid the door to the dressing room open, where Rin sat in front of the Mirror, contemplating her reflection.

"Hitsuji, do I look alright? I feel like I look silly in all this," Rin asked, rubbing her thumb worriedly over the lid of the shell of lip color. Her attendants had painted her lips into a heart shape, with a shade of red that was vaguely reminiscent of pink, and had pinned the hair around her face back with an ornament made too look like wisteria, but let the rest of her long, black hair float around her freely.

"You certainly are acting silly. Lady Rin, you look beautiful." She smiled that wry smile of hers again. "Maybe enough to melt the Inu-Taisho-to-be's heart."

"Hitsuji!" Rin exclaimed, turning a shade of magenta to match her lips.

Hitsuji laughed. "Come now my Lady, you're keeping the Lord waiting." With that, Rin hurried to follow Hitsuji, struggling mildly in the heavy layers of the beautiful kimono.

Hitsuji rounded the corner to meet Sesshomaru before Rin did, who wasn't moving as swiftly because of the smaller strides she was forced to take in the rather restricting garment. She bowed deeply to Sesshomaru as Rin rounded the corner, smiling widely upon seeing him. He looked elegant, with his black hakama and white kimono, and a haori that displayed a seascape of ocean crashing against a rocky shore.

Sesshomaru blinked in surprise, and for a split second, his lips parted ever so slightly in shock, setting Rin's face ablaze in red.

"You may leave us, Hitsuji," he said to the demon, who was currently suppressing a smile as she left, casting Rin a wry smile from behind Sesshomaru as she did.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I want to thank you for this Kimono," Rin said shyly as she came to stand before him. "It's beautiful. I love it."

Sesshomaru shook his head lightly, "Think nothing of it," he said, turning towards the dining hall. "You look beautiful in it."

Rin looked up sharply, and smiled. She didn't feel the harsh gazes the demons afforded her, because it didn't matter anymore. Sesshomaru thought she looked beautiful. She felt her cheeks being colored slightly at the thought.

She followed Sesshomaru to the main dining hall where only his mother sat at the head of the table, lazing about casually, her kimono slightly askew from laying about the way she was. She was the very image of a goddess. She looked just the same as she did ten years ago when she had bought Rin back from the dead.

"Hmmm, I remember you, you're the little girl who died in the underworld, are you not?" The Lady asked.

Rin nodded respectfully.

"What was it again, Rui, Rei?"

"It's Rin, my lady."

"Strange," she mused, "You don't look all than stern, or cold to me." She cocked her head to the side. "Sit," she commanded.

Both she and Sesshomaru obeyed, Rin sitting at Sesshomaru's side as the food was brought out. The food smelled amazing, but Rin couldn't tear her eyes off of the Lady. She looked to fearsome, like a she-wolf, watching her with unwavering yellow eyes.

She laughed suddenly. "So this is the girl my son has been fawning over for the last two years. He's been awfully cranky while you've been away, my girl, where have you been?"

"I sent her away, mother," Sesshomaru replied.

"And why on earth would you do a thing like that?"

"That is none of your concern," he replied curtly, beginning to eat.

She turned her gaze back on Rin. "My you do have him trained well, a month ago, he would have overturned the table and tried to tear my throat out had I asked that same question!" she exclaimed, quite satisfied with herself and the whole situation.

Rin wisely chose to remain quiet as Sesshomaru stared daggers at his mother. She seemed to enjoy poking fun at her son. Sesshomaru turned from her, annoyed, and continued to eat.

"It seems that he has inherited some of his father's odder traits. Speaking of which, Rin, that is a lovely Kimono, where _did _you get it?"

A sharp snapping sound caught both their attention as Sesshomaru snapped the pair of chopsticks he was holding. They were immediately replaced by a servant who cleared away the discarded remains and left a new pair it their place.

Inukimi began to laugh wildly in amusement, having finally broken her son's cool composure.

Sesshomaru stood up, enraged, and stormed from the room, Rin watching him leave. She made a move to follow, but then remembered it would be disrespectful of her to leave without being dismissed, se settled herself and looked at the Lady solemnly.

"Girl," she said suddenly, as if it were her intention to be alone with Rin all along. "Listen to my words. I have nothing against you, or your association with my son; in fact, I think I encourage it, seeing as how your presence seems to bring out the best in him. I myself have taken human lovers in my long life, but know this: a day will come when Sesshomaru will be wed to a full youkai who can bear him powerful offspring; such is our way. This cannot continue forever. Am I understood?"

Rin swallowed her sudden fear as much as she could and said in an even tone. "Yes, My Lady, I understand. If it suits you, may I be excused?"

She waved her hand. "Yes, go."

Rin rose from her seat and hurried after Sesshomaru. As she ran down the halls, she raised her hand to her face, and it came away wet. _'Why am I crying?'_

_A/N: If anyone was wondering why Inukimi commented on Rin not looking very stern, or cold, that's pun on Rin's name meaning, which literally translates to "Stern, cold, or dignified" and I'm proud of you all if you caught that Hitsuji means sheep. Ah ha, you see what I did there?_


	3. Fukara Suzume?

Goodbye is for Tomorrow

Chapter 3

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin called. "Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin rounded the corner to see a sliding door that had been left open. Rin went to leave through it, but a servant immediately stopped her. "My lady, you can't go in there, that's the Lord's private garden. He'll have a fit if you do," the girl warned her.

Rin ignored the girl's protests and walked onto the patio, looking into the darkness for Sesshomaru. She walked slowly through the glorious garden to the Gazebo that was situated in the centre, looking out over the garden, over the Japanese maple trees and lovely flowers that were all around her.

"Ah!" She spotted Sesshomaru Sitting on a large rock in the middle of the pond that was in the farthest corner of the garden. She stripped herself of her obi and Kimono, and folded the two neatly, leaving them on the gazebo bench, taking off her tabi socks and leaving them as well. In only her white nagajuban, she made her way over to the pond.

Sesshomaru didn't turn to look at her as she approached the edge, preferring not to speak to her after the spectacle he had made of himself in front of her. To his surprise, she hopped onto a small rock that protruded from the water and teetered for a bit. She hopped to the next one, and then the next, and finally threw herself onto the rock that he was currently sitting on. He offered her a hand as she struggled to make her way to the top beside him without falling into the water.

Rin happily took her Lord's hand, sitting beside him on the large rock. They sat for a while in silence, as Rin quietly observed her lord as he watched the fish swim about in the water, the peaceful sound of running water being white noise in the background. Rin smiled to herself, maybe she was still a child. She sat next to her Lord, dressed in all his finery, and she wore an inappropriate single layer of cotton. She pushed the thought from her mind.

"You seem troubled. Did my mother speak to you?" Sesshomaru asked.

Was it really that plainly written on her face? "No, she said nothing."

Sesshomaru turned his head to look at her, his amber eyes settling on her face. "After this long, do you think that I cannot tell when you lie?"

Rin turned her gaze from his and focused on the fish that swam peacefully through the pond. She watched as one leapt from the water to catch a cicada that had been flying so dangerously close to the water's surface. "No, my Lord, I apologize, it's just, I would rather not speak of such things."

Sesshomaru cocked his head to the side. How strange; Rin never withheld anything from him if he asked her directly. Moreover, she never lied. "As you wish," he settled on. "I know how irritating that wretched woman can be."

"No, it's not that, it's just…" Rin was at a loss for words. How could she ever talk to him about this? She couldn't. "If you don't mind my asking, why do you want me here?"

"Why?" Sesshomaru mused. "Who knows, I suppose it's simply because I promised to give you a choice."

Rin felt disheartened. "It's just that, in all the time I've known you, my Lord, I've never known you to do anything without a reason."

Sesshomaru shrugged mildly. "Perhaps it's because I enjoy your company."

"Truly?" Rin asked, containing her smile.

"Hn." Sesshomaru nodded.

Rin smiled in spite of herself and raised her legs to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. She could be satisfied with that. Rin treasured what he had said. An admission of anything from lord Sesshomaru was a rare thing, so it was unlikely that she would hear such things from him again.

"And you, my Lord, are you troubled?" Rin ventured.

He waved he hand in dismissal. "Yes, yes, I'm fine, but that woman knows how to infuriate me."

Rin nodded. "She seems to have that effect on people."

The two of them sat together for a long time in comfortable silence. Rin's body began to ache from sitting on the cold, hard stone for so long.

"We should be going, Rin," Sesshomaru said, standing.

She nodded, "Yes Master." She followed as Sesshomaru jumped onto the next stone in the water, land gracefully and turning to wait as Rin slid her way off the tall rock. Sesshomaru, tired of waiting, simply grasped her at the waist and lifted her down as he had many times when she was a child, her arms resting on his for support. To Rin's surprise, the gesture was more than it should have been. Through the thin fabric of her nagajuban, she could feel the warmth of his hands on her sides, and she felt the strong muscles in his arms where her hands rested.

Sesshomaru seemed to think nothing of it and hopped to the shore, as soon as he had set her down.

Rin followed after him, quickly, not wanting to keep him waiting. _'Silly girl,'_ she thought to herself. _'What are you doing?' _Rin followed as Sesshomaru made his way along the stone path to the gazebo, where Rin's kimono lay.

Rin unfolded her kimono and donned in carefully, tying the kimono shut, as adjusting the length was not necessary; Sesshomaru had it made for her height specifically. Rin began the lengthy process of putting on the obi. It was then that Rin realized that she was in trouble. She had no idea how to tie the intricate knot that Hitsuji had tied the obi in. She settled on haphazardly creating a box knot that was rather sloppy.

"Come here, I'll help you," Sesshomaru told her.

Rin shook her head, embarrassed. "No, no, this will be fine."

"Don't be stupid, Rin, that knot looks like it's been tied by a man's sloppy hands, and we can't have people thinking that we went for an outdoor tumble. Besides that, a box knot is inappropriate for such a formal kimono," Rin chose not to mention the irony of Sesshomaru helping her to fix the knot that looked like it was tied by a man' hands. Of course, all this talk of protocol went right over Rin's head, so she shamefully went to Sesshomaru and turned around, red-faced so that he could help her. Sesshomaru began to untie her box-knot, first unfastening her obijime and then unwinding the obi.

"What type of knot was tied on you before?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Ah, Hitsuji told me it was called a sparrow knot because it looked like the wings of a sparrow," was Rin's reply.

Sesshomaru's deft hands stopped for just a second before continuing. "That won't do." He told her, before beginning to tie a different knot.

Rin wrote it off as some protocol error that Hitsuji had made and didn't think about it again. What was at the forefront of her mind at the moment was Sesshomaru's close proximity. She could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck as he wrapped the long obi around her body. It sent shivers down her spine. _'Stupid girl,' _she thought to herself, and focused her efforts on not becoming flustered. Of course, it wasn't that easy, seeing how even with Sesshomaru's skilled hands tying her obi, it still took several minutes for him to finish. Rin breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped away and informed Rin that he was done.

"Thank you, my Lord," she said, gingerly feeling the bow, which was just that, a large and ornate bow at her back.

He nodded and indicated for her to follow him as he walked back towards the castle.

Rin smiled as she followed. The night air was splendidly cool against her skin, and the subtle scents of the flowers assaulted her senses. And of course, being with Lord Sesshomaru always made Rin happy, no matter what kind of mood he was in. Sesshomaru certainly was moody. Most people assumed that he was cruel and emotionless all the time, but Rin knew better than anyone that he had his moods just like anyone, although, outwardly, they were extremely subdued. In fact, If Rin had to say, she would say that Sesshomaru probably experienced worse mood swings than most people. She shuddered to thing about what her Lord would do if she ever mentioned any of this within earshot of him. Rin had no fear of Sesshomaru ever laying a hand upon her in anger, but Sesshomaru enough power over her to break her into a million pieces without violence.

Rin shook those thought from her head and ran to catch up with Sesshomaru, falling into step beside him. Rin smiled at him. Rin did that a lot when Sesshomaru was upset, she found that sometimes, only sometimes, if she would smile, he would smile back, but only for a second, and then he would immediately turn away, as if he had quashed an automatic reaction. There were very few things in life that gave Rin the pleasure that seeing her Lord happy did.

Sesshomaru escorted Rin to her chambers and said goodnight and nodded to her curtly as he left. Rin slid the door shut and breathed a sigh of relief before noticing Hitsuji preparing her Futon for sleep.

"Oh, Hitsuji."

"Hello Lady Rin." Hitsuji said with a smile. "You look exhausted, would you like me to send for some tea?" she asked.

"I would, but only if you'll have tea with me," Rin told her. Rin was far more interested in Hitsuji as a friend than Hitsuji as a servant.

"I'd love to," she said, exiting the room.

Rin took the small oil lamp that was burning in her room and exited onto the patio, placing it on the small table, and sitting down on one of the cushions that had been placed there. She rubbed at her tired eyes and contemplated the evening. Her mind kept falling on the same thing. Why had what Inukimi said affected her the way it had. Surly she did not love Sesshomaru. Well, she did love him, but the issue was whether that love was romantic.

Rin sighed. No, that was not something she was willing to delve into. Not now.

Hitsuji peeked out onto the deck and came to sit when she spotted Rin. She poured tea into a cup and edged it across the table to Rin, who thanked her and began to blow across the surface of the scalding liquid. Hitsuji chose to let hers sit, and observed Rin for a moment.

"Oh, Rin, what happened to your Obi?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh, it came a bit loose during dinner, so I had a servant retie it for me.

"Mm-hmm," Hitsuji said skeptically, one pale brow raised at Rin. "I tied that knot myself; my knots don't _come _loose."

Rin swiftly changed the subject. "Hitsuji, what's the difference between the knot I had earlier, the sparrow one, and the knot I have now?"

"The one that I tied on you earlier is called fukara-suzume musubi, and the one that you are wearing now is called tateya musubi, and the only difference is the fukara suzume suggests that you are of age and available for marriage. I don't know why whoever tied that for you didn't tie another fukara suzume. It makes the most sense with the kimono you're wearing. The current knot is just more casual,"

Rin looked at Hitsuji questioningly. "Why would you put anything on me that lets people know I'm desperate to be married?"

Hitsuji rolled her eyes. "Please, Lady Rin, everything about your appearance suggests you are ready for marriage; look how long the sleeves of that furisode are," she exclaimed. "Besides, aren't human women already married with kids at your age?"

Rin looked away. "Well yes, but that's irrelevant," she said, annoyed.

"My, you're snappish tonight, what's troubling you? Did the Lord say something that upset you?"

"More like the Lord's mother," Rin muttered before she could think.

Hitsuji laughed heartily, throwing her head back. Rin looked on aghast. Hitsuji waved a hand dismissively at her. "Oh don't worry; I'm not going to tattle. What did she do to upset you so much?"

Rin hesitated at first, but felt that Hitsuji was an honest person who could be trusted. Rin told her the abbreviated version of what the lady had said to her. "I just don't know why I became so emotional," Rin said when she was finished.

Hitsuji nodded wisely, and took a long sip of her tea before speaking. "Is it that you don't know, or you don't want to admit why?"

Rin shrugged. "Perhaps a bit of both. I don't really know. It's stupid anyways, because I accepted a long time ago that it could never be, just because of what I am, and what he is.

"Yeah, because I'm a living example that that kind of thing never pans out," Hitsuji remarked sarcastically.

Rin couldn't help but laugh. "It's different though; you know how Sesshomaru feels about humans."

Hitsuji donned a serious expression. "Rin, are you not human yourself?"

Rin smiled a bit at that, taking a sip of her tea. It was soothing and warm, just what Rin needed. "I suppose," she said, looking up into the starry sky. "In truth, I sometimes forget. How could I not when I'm surrounded by demons all the time?" All those stars; thousands of them, twinkling iridescently against the ink black sky. They made Rin feel so small. It was almost a reassuring feeling, that in the end, human, or demon, they were all just so small. "Ah, things were less confusing when I was eight!" Rin exclaimed, her face in her hands.

Hitsuji laughed loudly, he hand coming to her forehead.

"Don't laugh at me, Hitsuji!" Rin cried.

"Things may have been less confusing when you were eight, but now look at you; you're a full grown woman, with a face that could send a thousand men to their deaths!" Hitsuji said, clearly enjoying her metaphors that were getting out of hand. "And the body to seduce the Dog Lord!"

"Are you joking! I wouldn't know how to seduce anything, nor would I be able to!"

"Not with that attitude, Rin!"

Rin face flushed a bright red. "Ah, enough of you, Hitsuji, you're burning my ears!"

Hitsuji laughed wildly. "Fine, fine, I'll go, but think about what I said, Rin," the girl said, picking up the tray of tea and leaving.

Rin stayed in place for a long time, staring up into the stars. After a while, her mind began to wander to Sesshomaru again, and the knot he had put in her obi.

"_That just won't do," _his words echoed in her head. Was he referring to the marriage reference of the knot? No, that was ludicrous; Sesshomaru was not one to mind such petty things, was he? Surely not. But her mind kept asking the question: what if? It didn't necessarily have to mean anything beyond the fact that Lord Sesshomaru had always been possessive of Rin and would never allow her to marry, which didn't bother Rin much. She shifted her eyes to her bare feet. Ultimately, Sesshomaru didn't love anything other than swords, and himself. Right?

She rubbed her forehead. Why did she care so damn much? Maybe she did love Sesshomaru.


	4. Kogarasu Maru

A/N: Thanks to **icegirljenni, hanayuki **and **chrysanthemum-nhu **in addition to my other reviewers. I'm really enjoying writing this, and the reviews really help. Thanks for your support!And also, in Canada, Thanksgiving is in October. :P I took a little break to brush up on the manga, and now I'm debating whether Sesshomaru's mokomoko is a pelt, or a tail. In the manga, it is unquestionable that is in fact a 15 foot long tail that is draped over his shoulder to prevent it from a-draggin' on the ground. But in the anime, it is just a piece o' fluff draped over his shoulder. The thing is, I don't know if I can take him seriously with a 15 foot long fluffeh tail. I'll just make this an AU and call it a draw. Ha ha

Goodbye is for Tomorrow

Chapter 4

The following week was relatively uneventful, until one morning, Hitsuji poked her horned head into Rin's chamber.

"Ah, Lady Rin, Lord Sesshomaru is here to see you," she said, checking to see if Rin was appropriately dressed.

Rin stood as the door opened to reveal Sesshomaru. The sight of him surprised Rin; he was wearing his white kimono and hakama, with the red flowed crest that she had known so long ago. It was so reminiscent of times past that Rin felt herself back there. What madness that time had been. It was so dangerous; no place for a young girl, and yet Sesshomaru had always kept he safe, or at least, he had always come through in the end.

"Good morning, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said, with a smile.

"Good morning, Rin," he replied. "Today, we start your training; prepare yourself and then come to the garden," he told her, turning on his heel to leave."

Training had slipped her mind. Rin had been so busy with adjusting to life in the castle that she had completely forgotten any mention of training. "Hitsuji, would you find me something training appropriate?" Rin asked the girl who was still standing respectfully outside the door.

"Yes, or course," Hitsuji said, immediately running to find something for Rin to wear that wasn't a long and restricting Kimono.

Rin quickly braided her hair, tying it tightly at the end with a leather thong. By that time, Hitsuji had returned with what looked like a keikogi and a pair of women's hakama pants. Rin thanked Hitsuji and quickly dressed, rushing down to the first floor and outside as quickly as she could. She slid the garden door open and rushed outside.

Sesshomaru was there and immediately tossed her a sword in a sheath. Rin caught it in her right hand out of reflex.

"Draw your blade," Sesshomaru told her.

Rin nodded and withdrew the blade from its sheath. This was real sword, not some dull practice-thing. There would be no practice, only the real thing. The weight was comfortable. It sat nicely in one hand but was able to be used in two. The blade had a cutting edge on both sides, she noted.

"That sword is called a kogarasu-maru. As you'll notice, it is double edged, so try not to cut something off. It makes up for being marginally shorter than my katana by being double edged, and thus you are able to strike an enemy on the backswing, the front blade, and with a stabbing motion, much like my old sword, Tokijin."

Rin nodded in comprehension, tucking the sheath into her obi.

Sesshomaru drew his simple katana. "Now, try and strike me," he told her.

Rin hesitated. How could he ask her that?

Imeediately, Sesshomaru was practically on top of her, his hand grasping her right wrist to keep her sword away, and his sword at her throat. "Lesson one: hesitate in battle, and you will die," he told her.

Rin stilled her nerves and nodded, backing away, pointing her sword at Sesshomaru.

"Now, try and strike me, and be quick about it."

Rin did as she was told and ran to his open left side, and quickly thrust at his side. Easily, Sesshomaru reached across his body with his katana, and deflected her thrust in an arc over his head, catching Rin off guard and causing her to stumble where he had pushed her sword, in an instant, she was off balance, and his sword was at her throat. She jumped back.

"The strategy is there, but it's sloppy. Try again," he told her.

Rin came at him again, this time swinging in an upward arc towards his waist. He slammed his sword down on top of hers, casing hers to get stuck in the soil momentarily. He raised his leg to kick her and stopped just short of her head.

"Rin, I'll tell you something you're going to have to learn if you ever want to succeed. It is unlikely that you will ever overpower a demon or even a human man with brute force, so you must be faster, smarter, more accurate, and you must be adaptable. Use your body as a weapon. If you can't master the weapons you have at your disposal now, how will you ever master a sword?"

"Yes master," she said, stepping back into the fighting stance that Sango had taught her.

"Again, Rin."

Rin was more careful this time, she attacked at his left, and swung in an upward arc. Unsurprisingly, he slammed her sword into the ground again, but this time she was more prepared, and pivoted on her right foot, following the movement oh his strike and aimed a kick, high at his head. He caught her at the ankle and flung her, her sword tearing from her grasp, remaining in the ground. She went sliding through the grass. Groaning mildly as she brought herself back to her feet.

"Better, much better," he told her with a nod of approval. "Now pick up your sword and do it again."

~.::.::.::.::.::.~

They continued training once a day for the next couple of weeks. Rin was always sore, and had frequent pulled muscles, but she was content that Sesshomaru came every day to practice with her. In spite of his usually quiet air, he was a wonderful teacher, and Rin was a quick learner, though she supposed anyone would be, knowing that not improving meant more frequently taking kicks or punches, or being thrown across the garden, and occasionally into the pond. She was pleased that her Kogarasu-maru had become increasingly lighter to her, and she became able to wield it with ease. As soon as she had begun to learn how to properly hold the sword, she had improved quickly.

Today though, things were less enjoyable. Their session had to be cut short due to Rin stupidly injuring herself. Rin cursed herself for lack of common sense. While attempting to block Sesshomaru's swing, she had reflexively blocked it in a way that she had seen Sesshomaru utilize many times, putting both hand on her sword and blocking a downward strike by crossing the sword horizontally across her body, protecting her shoulder from his blow, but instead, as his sword collided with hers, she could not handle the recoil and her own sword's back edge had slammed into her shoulder with the force.

Currently, a healer was suturing her shoulder as Sesshomaru sat in the corner of the healer's room watching anxiously. Well, anxious for Sesshomaru, that is. This meant he was tapping his nails impatiently on the tatami mat he was sitting on and intensely watching the healer's movements as she worked.

Rin gave him a smile, the only discernable indication that she was in pain being a tightness in her eyes that she could not smooth out.

Sesshomaru realized that she had seen how anxious he was. Damn girl. No one else read him like she did. It was infuriating sometimes. He crossed his arms over his chest. Perhaps it was time they were both outfitted in some sort of armor during training. As much as he hated to admit, she had actually come close to catching him with her sword. If it had connected, it would have been just a knick, barely a scratch, but he was above that. She was improving at an alarmingly fast rate.

"You're all done now, Lady Rin!" the healer exclaimed. "Just try to avoid getting cut up in the future," the old woman told her.

"I will bear that in mind. Thank you again, Lady Natsune."

"Oh, Natsune is just fine, dear. You have a good day now!"

Sesshomaru rose as Rin did and opened the door for her. He was unfamiliar how an injured human was to be treated. All he knew was as a general rule, if you severed their heads, punched holes in them, or cut them deeply enough, they would die. They were pitifully fragile. They died of diseases, animals, old age, minor wounds, anything could kill a human. He eyed Rin suspiciously as she walked beside him. She looked pained. She wouldn't die of something like that, would she? He knew that sometimes, in humans, wounds would fester and kill them.

Rin looked up at him. "What's wrong, Lord Sesshomaru?"

He crossed his arms in front of him, putting his hands in his kimono sleeves. "You're not going to die of that, are you?" he asked.

Rin laughed. "Of course not. I'm going to be fine, my Lord."

Sesshomaru did not like to be laughed at. "I don't care, I was just curious." He said, looking directly ahead. He felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. He turned to look at Rin.

"Don't be angry, my Lord, I didn't mean to laugh at you like that. It's just, I forget sometimes that demons forget human limitations." She laughed again. "I do too sometimes, having spent my life among demons or extraordinary humans."

Rin took no notice of the servants whose eyes were practically bulging out of their heads to see a human girl tugging on Sesshomaru's sleeve, and he, rather than looking deathly annoyed, was talking to her in a kind voice. Was this the girl that everyone was gossiping about?

"It's fine." He gingerly touched her wounded shoulder with the most feather light of touches. "Does it hurt?" he asked, curious.

"Only a little," she lied. She felt the silk thread of the fresh sutures pulling at her flesh as she moved her arm.

"May I see your shoulder again?" he asked, rather fascinated by the process of human healing.

"In private," she told him in a quieter voice. "We have many eyes on us. Would you care for tea in the garden?"

He considered this for a moment. He nodded. "Hn."

Rin sent for tea before following Sesshomaru into the garden. She noticed that her sword, which she had dropped, had already been taken away, though her blood still stained the grass. She was glad to be dressed in a dark blue Kimono, because she felt her wound seeping blood into her fresh kimono. She was also thankful that she had requested an older one, because she had known this would happen.

A young servant girl hurriedly brought a tray to where Rin and Sesshomaru sat in the shade of the gazebo and set it down between them. "Hitsuji told me to bring this for you also," the girl said, setting down a plate of two skinned and sliced peaches.

"Thank you," she said to the girl. She happily picked up a slice of the white fleshed fruit. "Peaches are my favorite," Rin said, popping the sweet fruit into her mouth. This late in summer, peaches were readily available in the west where the climate was perfect for them. The peach was perfectly ripe and delicious.

Sesshomaru picked up a slice ate it, looking out over the garden.

"Aren't they good?" she asked.

He glanced at her quickly and nodded. "Hn."

"Oh, right," Rin said, pulling down the right shoulder of her kimono to reveal her still fresh injury to him. "I forgot," she said. It looked particularly bad now that there was some blood seeping through the sutures, smeared on her skin. Sesshomaru looked fascinated, as if he had never seen such a thing before, and likely, he hadn't, being a demon, and not really being around humans much.

"And poking holes in you with a needle helps you heal?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied.

"Why does it need to be sewn?"

Rin gave a small shrug. "Many reasons. It heals faster, and chances of the wound festering are lessened. Also, the scarring isn't as bad this way." Just then, Rin had a delightful thought. Her Master was cute like this, when he was so curious. She shuddered to think about what he would do if she ever mentioned that out loud.

"Interesting." He said, leaning back from her again, eating another peach slice.

Rin pulled the sleeve of her kimono back up and readjusted it.

"When will you be ready to resume training?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Tomorrow, I guess."

"That is doubtful, you are badly wounded."

She waved a dismissive hand at him. "Oh, this is just a flesh wound."

He shook his head again. "No, it is an unwise idea. We will resume once the thread is removed from your shoulder."

Rin was about to object, but decided it was probably for the best. Her body was quite worn out. She was sore everywhere and she was beginning to become just a large, purple bruise under her kimono. "Yes, my Lord. I'm just anxious to get back to training. I want to get better, but I can't help but feel that I'm still going to be a mediocre swordsman for years."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "That is also doubtful. You are improving very quickly; faster than most demons, in fact."

"Really?" Rin asked in disbelief.

He nodded. "Hn."

She rubbed her head nervously. "Well that's good. I thought I wasn't doing very well."

Sesshomaru was about to speak when he heard Hitsuji from the door.

"Lord Sesshomaru, there is a human man who is requesting to see Lady Rin. He says his name is Kohaku."

Rin's face lit up. She had not seen her friend Kohaku in years. She looked to Sesshomaru.

"Bring him into the garden Hitsuji."

Hitsuji nodded curtly. "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru," she said before disappearing back into the castle.

"I wonder why he has come here," Rin mused aloud, "or how he found me. He must have looked for me in Inuyasha's village first." She looked at Sesshomaru, silently questioning if he knew.

"I haven't the slightest clue," Sesshomaru said, feigning ignorance. There were very few things a man traveled so far to see a girl for and the boy had had feelings for Rin ever since she had become a young woman.

Rin shrugged, slipping another slice of peach into her mouth. Sesshomaru and Rin sat in silence for a while.

"Rin!" a familiar voice called from the patio. Rin turned and stood, only to have Kohaku embrace her in a tight hug.

"Ah!" Rin cried out with the sudden, sharp pain of Kohaku constricting her shoulder.

Sesshomaru was on his feet in a flash, and without thinking, separated Kohaku from Rin. He smoothed out his angry features. He had overreacted and pushed the boy away out of instinct. He looked at Rin, whose bows were furrowed, and her eyes were tight with pain. This girl…how did she steal his sense like this?

"Rin, I'm so sorry, what did I do?"

She shook her head. "No, it's fine, I just have some sutures in my shoulder, that's all," she told him.

"I'm sorry Rin, let me look at them," he said, coming close to Rin again.

"No, no, they're fine," she told him.

"Rin, torn sutures are prone to infection," he told her.

She grudgingly pulled down her sleeve again. It didn't look like they had torn; they had just been pulled on painfully. Kohaku examined her shoulder with gentle fingers.

Sesshomaru wasn't particularly for of the boy's hands on Rin in any manor. What was this, jealousy? Him, jealous? Maybe it was him that needed to be looked at by a healer.

"So what are you doing here, Kohaku?" Rin asked, once he had declared her sutures perfectly fine.

"I was just passing through the west and I'd heard you were here," he told her.

Sesshomaru smelled a lie. How dare the boy lie in his presence? He quashed the urge to call the boy out on his lie. It could just be a white lie, and forcing to admit it would just make him look like the fool.

Sesshomaru sat silently as Rin and Kohaku talked about trivial matters. Surely he was not jealous. No, Rin was merely his, and Sesshomaru didn't like others encroaching on his territory. Rin was his. _Rin is your what? _His mind asked him. Rin wasn't anything, she was just his, and that's all there was.

"Right, Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked him

"Hmm?" he asked, brought out of his daydreaming.

"I told Kohaku I was doing well in my training, right?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "Very," he said, but all he could concentrate on was how close Kohaku sat to Rin. Every time she shifted away slightly, he found an excuse to shift closer.

"See, I told you, Kohaku!" Rin exclaimed.

Kohaku laughed. "I was just bugging you, Rin."

Sesshomaru stood. "Rin, I'm going inside, I will come gather you from your chambers for dinner. Kohaku, you may stay as long as you wish, I will have a servant bring you to your chambers later." Sesshomaru left, feeling Rin's eyes on him as he left. Sesshomaru slid the garden door shut, setting off to find Hitsuji. He followed her scent to where she was airing out kimonos for his mother's use. "Hitsuji, after you are finished, take the boy to one of the guest's chambers on the east face of the third floor."

Hitsuji suppressed the urge to grin. It appeared the Lord was upset over the boy's presence, and it did not escape her notice that he had wanted him placed in a chamber that was farthest away from Rin's own. "Of course, my Lord."

Sesshomaru left without another word, stalking through the castle angrily. Didn't that girl know what she did to him? Even more vexing, why did he care?


	5. Immeasurable Distance

Goodbye is for Tomorrow

Chapter 5

Rin sat in the hot waters of the bath, trying to keep her shoulder dry. The last thing that Rin needed was an infection. Sesshomaru had seemed angry when he left today. Why has he seemed so frustrated? Was it because of Kohaku? Surely not.

"Kohaku," she said his name aloud. He was acting so strange. It made her uncomfortable how close he sat to her. How much he touched her. She shifted uncomfortably at the thought. Her eyebrows furrowed. Was that why? But Sesshomaru wasn't the jealous type. She thought a while. He may not have been the jealous type, but he certainly was the possessive type. That must be it, Rin decided, slipping out of the hot waters, drying herself with a towel. She began to comb out her long hair with the comb Sesshomaru had given her when she had turned sixteen. Like most of the things she received from him, they were simple, but beautiful. The bone comb was off-white with camellia flowerers carved into its surface the texture of their petals second only to the real thing. Truly, it was stunning. She smiled. She couldn't blame him; her Lord had a kind heart in spite of his demon nature.

"Sesshomaru," she said, savoring the sound of his name with no honorifics on her lips. Rin braided her hair with a smile across her face and a pink blush in her cheeks.

..::..::..::..::..::..

Two days passed with Sesshomaru going out of his was to avoid Kohaku and Rin. He couldn't stand the sight of him drooling over what belonged to Sesshomaru anymore, and surely Rin would be upset if he scolded the boy, so instead, he deemed it wisest to avoid them altogether, lest he do something rash. He sat, inhaling the cool night air, thinking on the situation that had managed to develop when he smelled the boy himself approaching towards the pond where Sesshomaru had seated himself atop the large rock in the centre of the water.

"Lord Sesshomaru," he said, coming to the edge of the water.

"What is it?" he asked, not looking at the boy.

"As you have probably guessed, I have not come here for just any reason," he said. Sesshomaru did not like where this was headed one bit.

"I thought as much," Sesshomaru confirmed.

Kohaku hesitated for a moment. "Look, I don't know how to do this, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I want to ask for your permission to ask for Rin's hand."

Sesshomaru thought for a minute, keeping rage from clouding his mind, in hic calmest voice he replied. "No."

Kohaku's fists curled in anger. "Why? I would make an excellent husband. Is it because you think I can't protect her? I would love her and keep her safe always!" he exclaimed.

Sesshomaru stood and turned to Kohaku quick as a blink. "What part of my refusal do you not understand, boy?"

Kohaku looked upon Sesshomaru with rage. "Or is it because you want to make her miserable with you, Dog-Lord?"

Kohaku reflexively pulled his kusaragigama to block Sesshomaru came quick as lightning toward him.

"What's this?" Sesshomaru asked, his face only an inch away from Kohaku's shocked one. He grasped the blade of the kusaragigama with his bare hand. "You are a hundred years to early to challenge me!" Sesshomaru exclaimed, using his free hand to pick the boy up by the throat, throwing him across the garden, the boy's body crashing into the rock Sesshomaru had previously been sitting on and falling into the pond. Surprised fish scattered from where Kohaku fell as the boy stumbled to his feet. "Boy, be gone, and don't let me see your face here again, or I'll break you in two."

Kohaku hurriedly pulled himself from the pond and stumbled from the garden, not pausing, knowing that Sesshomaru never bluffed.

Sesshomaru sat down on the grass and ran a hand through his hair. He sighed. He was supposed to be in control of his emotions. Wasn;t that who he was, the stoic Lord Sesshomaru? Stupid. He slammed his fist into the ground, creating a satisfying hole. How stupid could he be? He slammed his fist down again.

..::..::..::..::..

"Kohaku?" Rin asked, awakening to the sound of someone sneaking in through her patio door.

"Not so loud," he told her in hushed tones, silently moving from her patio door with all the skill of a well trained demon-slayer and crouching at her bedside as she sat up tiredly. "What are you doing?" she asked, rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I had to come see you before I leave," he said. It was then he noticed he had his bag slung over his shoulder.

"Leave? Why?" she asked.

Kohaku looked away. She made out in the darkness the shape of his face, the image of annoyance upon him. "Well you see, I made a real fool of myself in front of Sesshomaru and he's very displeased with me."

"Kohaku," she said, gripping his arm. "Don't be so rash, I'm sure Lord Sesshomaru did not mean for you to—"

Kohaku shook his head, still not looking at her. "No Rin, Sesshomaru was very clear. I really must be going now," he said. He grasped the hand that had gripped his arm in his and brought it to his lips, placing a kiss there. He got to his feet, adjusting the pack on his shoulder, and then, he was gone out her patio door as soon as he had come.

What had Sesshomaru done to Kohaku to make him leave like that? She had to know what had happened between them. Rin flung back the quilt and quickly donned her robe, tying it at her waist as she silently as she slid open her chamber doors and crept through the palace to the fourth floor where Sesshomaru's chambers were located.

She stood outside his door a long time, her hand poised to knock on the door. Her breath caught in her throat. She didn't know if she had the courage to confront him. She took a deep breath. "L-lord Sesshomaru?" she called quietly.

After a long few seconds of silence, "Come in, Rin," was his hesitant-sounding reply. She slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding and slid the heavy door open and entered the dark room, turning as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and shutting the door behind her. She turned to her Lord, watching embarrassed as he pushed himself to sit up in his bed. He was wearing only a kosode, and in the dim light that crept in through the window, she saw the paleness of his chest where the garment gaped open, and his silver hair caught the dim light as it fell around him as he sat up. She was glad he could not see how pink she had turned. He was beautiful. Did he not realize what he did to her? The sly dog probably knew exactly what he did to her, Rin thought. Sesshomaru was unaware of very few things.

He ran a hand through his long hair. "Rin, what are you doing here so late?" he asked, knowing full well why she was there. She smelled of nervousness. She smelled of it often of late when she was around him. Had they become so distant that she had to work up courage to speak to him? Was she afraid of him?

She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "I came to ask you what happened with Kohaku," she told him.

Sesshomaru sighed, leaning forward, propping his elbows on his knees. He ignored the fact that his partial nudity was obviously making her uncomfortable "What did he tell you?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Not much. He said he had made a fool of himself, and angered you," she said, walking to his bedside, sitting cross legged at the edge, giving him an inquiring look.

"I think it would be prudent of me to not tell you," he told her, his eyes sliding away from hers.

"I think I have a right to know what happened to my friend to make him leave in the middle of the night, Lord Sesshomaru," she said firmly.

"Rin, I don't think-"

"Sesshomaru, please, I worry for him."

Sesshomaru was surprised for a moment. Rin never said his name with no honorifics. It didn't particularly bother him, but it was mildly shocking. He looked away from her. "The boy asked for your hand, and I refused him."

"He-he did what?" She asked, shocked. Kohaku asked for her hand? They were only friends though. Rin was blindsided. "And is that why you sent him away?" she asked tentatively.

He shook his head. "No, I sent him away because he said something he should not have. I will not tell you what that was, so do not bother," he said crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. He looked weak and petty in front of Rin. He grimaced. Was he weak? Was he being petty? He looked at Rin angrily. "Why, did I wrongly refuse him? Would you go with the boy?"

Rin recoiled as if she had been struck. She turned her face from him. "No, I would not go with Kohaku," she told him quietly.

"Why?" he demanded. "You're both human, it's perfect, you can bear him a whole damn litter of children in some demon-slayer village," he said, bitterness in his voice.

Rin stood suddenly. She didn't deserve this, least of all from Sesshomaru, who she had given no reason for him to be angry. It hurt her that he was so upset with her. Didn't he see anything? He could be so…so blind! Her hands balled to fists. "Because I don't love Kohaku, you-you…idiot!" she exclaimed, fleeing from the room. The door slammed behind her, leaving only Sesshomaru in the darkness with his own regrets. He ran a hand through his hair, a stress induced habit of his, wondering why he had said those things. Maybe he was an idiot. He certainly felt that way right now.

..::..::..::..::..

Rin punched the floor again, and again. The pain, the distraction; anything to keep her from weeping with the heartache she felt. She wanted to be angry, she wanted to be sad, she wanted to be anything but empty. She felt the growing ache in her chest, and she hated herself for it. No mater how stupid it was, no matter what he did, and no matter how she might try to quash it, she was in love with Sesshomaru. When had it started? She wondered. She had always loved him in her way, she had always wanted to be beside him, but she wondered when that had changed from child-like affection to being in love with him? Why? Was she so masochistic that she was willing to suffer in silence for a man who could not love her? Demons were not incapable of love, Rin knew, _but_ _Sesshomaru is incapable of love for me, _her mind whispered. He was a demon, and to take a human lover, was one of the greatest sins a demon could commit, in his eyes.

"I love you, and yet you are cruel to me," she said aloud. She sighed. No, Sesshomaru was certainly able to be cruel, but he had always been kind to Rin. Rin knew Sesshomaru cared for her, but she knew that he could never love her.

"You have such a cruel streak sometimes. I'd give you the heart from my chest if I only thought you would take it, but still, you…"

_Why do I love you so much?_ Her mind asked.

She lay down on her futon, curling on her side, in a ball as she used to when she was a child. When she was young, Rin used to imagine that if she made herself small enough, eventually, she would just disappear. She wanted badly to disappear right now. She wanted desperately not to have to face Sesshomaru tomorrow. She wanted to not have her heart hurt whenever she saw him. She wanted just for once to be able to sit beside him and not feel like they were oceans apart from each other.

She felt a tear roll down her cheek, and then another, and another. Soon, she was silently weeping, refusing to make a sound. She curled herself tighter. Kami, why did this hurt so badly? Why did it feel like she couldn't breathe; as if a heavy weight was pressing against her?

Rin heard the door slide open, and scrambled upright, wiping her eyes hurriedly as Sesshomaru walked silently into her chambers, closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry for what I said to you, my Lord." Rin bowed her head. "It was out of line," she said woodenly, retreating back into the safety of formality.

Sesshomaru inwardly cringed at her formality. That was not his Rin. "No, I am sorry," he told her quietly, sitting at her bedside as she had previously sat at his.

Rin's head shot up. He never apologized. "It's fine," she lied.

Sesshomaru regretted saying those cruel things to her. First he had been incapable of communicating with her on a personal level, rendered incapable of speech by his own pride. Somehow he had deteriorated from that point to accusing her, even insulting her. She did not deserve that. Perhaps Kohaku was right, maybe he did just want to make Rin miserable with him. Sesshomaru hung his head, struggling silently for words, willing himself to say something—anything to fix what he had done.

"Does Rin hate this Sesshomaru?" he asked.

She looked at him with a curious look on her face. "Of course not," she told him. "No matter what happened, Rin could never hate Sesshomaru," she said quietly.

Sesshomaru sat in quiet contemplation for a minute. "Come, Rin, sit with me under the stars," he said finally. He rose to his feet, the sound of the wood flooring creaking beneath his feet echoing loudly in the otherwise silent room. He offered Rin his hand and hoped, prayed in silence that she would take it.

Rin eyed his hand for a moment and briefly considered refusing him, but she sighed, knowing she could never refuse him, least of all when he was like this. She slipped her hand into his, Sesshomaru's long, elegant fingers curling around her small hand. He gently pulled her to her feet and led her onto the patio, catching the quilt from her Futon with his free hand, his other firmly holding Rin's small one. They fell into place naturally, just the way they had done a hundred times before. Sesshomaru sat upright, against the outside wall of the castle, and Rin sat between his legs, her back resting against his chest. Rin secretly relished this moment. Now as an adult, she could appreciate the warm feeling of his chest against her back, and could identify the once abstract feeling from her childhood as the feeling of being warm, and safe, and protected with his-even years later-still dwarfing body wrapped around hers; his legs drawn up on either side of her, his elbows resting on his knees, and his upper body leaned forward with what seemed like fatigue, his hair, a silver curtain around them. In the soft light, he was as sinfully beautiful as a moon-born god. It was almost saddening to Rin, this beautiful man who was here with her, was so different from her.

Rin drew her knees to her chest and unconsciously closed in on herself.

Sesshomaru immediately noticed. "What is wrong?" he asked, inclining his head.

Rin seized one of his hands, Sesshomaru offering no resistance and began to trace the lines in his palm with her index finger. She was surprised at the many scars on such elegant looking hands, and the permanent calluses from handling a sword almost every day for more than five hundred years. "I feel like the closer I get to you, I begin to realize how unfathomably far away you are from me."

"Far away," he mused.

"I feel like you are unreachable to me, Lord Sesshomaru," she told him, her hands stilling around his.

Sesshomaru had never known a title put before his name could be so irritating to his ears. As a child, Rin had treated him as just another man. She called him into childish games, and constantly asked him questions to try and satisfy her insatiable curiosity for the world and all things in it. She used to pull at his hands and unabashedly come and sit herself in his lap when she wanted to talk to him. Now she touched him tentatively and spoke to him in a reserved manor. His Rin had changed, and that was a change that could only blamed on his absence in her life. He had let her grown distant. He had let her think he was untouchable, and cold. This girl, whose life he would readily give up his own for, thought him cold and uncaring? Sesshomaru felt a pain in his heart. She was worth more than anything; more than a sword, more than honor, or bloodline.

Sesshomaru used his free hand to press Rin's head to his chest. "Do you hear my heart?" he asked.

She nodded into his chest. "Yes," she replied softly.

"None other than you can say they own such a large place in it. I am always within your reach."

Rin looked up and smiled so happily that Sesshomaru could not stop the mirroring smile from gracing his features as well. She rested her head back against his chest and slowly, carefully, she slid her arms around him, holding him tightly.

"My heart has always belonged to Sesshomaru," she told him quietly.

Sesshomaru's arms encircled her, and he closed his body protectively around hers, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Rin smiled and buried her face against his chest, relishing in the warmth of his body. Maybe this could be enough for Rin, for now. To own a place in the Dog-Lord's heart was something few others could say, so maybe, for now, that was enough.


	6. Silly Creatures

**A/N: So my writing pace has slowed a bit, I know, but I was taking some time off to read some fanfiction. I really enjoyed writing that last chapter, and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. You can expect a lot more in about 5 days. I'm gong to visit my granddad in this small town for a while, so there's little else to do in my spare time but write. Sorry for the small chapter! Thanks again to icegirljenni for her faithful reviews. I appreciate anyone who reviews, especially because it tells me that there are people out there besides me who are interested in this story. I struggle just a bit with the third person writing style, as you may or may not have noticed, and am toying with making a fic from Rin's point of view in the first person. Hmmm, anyways, thanks again you guys, I hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Goodbye is for Tomorrow

Chapter 6

The glow of the rising sun roused Rin from her sleep. She was slightly chilled and nestled herself father against Sesshomaru, seeking comfort in his warm embrace. She glanced up at her Lord, expecting him to be looking at her, but instead, he was sleeping. Rin blinked in surprise. Sesshomaru slept so little that it was a strange sight. Mostly, Sesshomaru slept out of boredom or when he was recovering from a battle, or injury. She didn't know he even required sleep normally.

She remained silent, and very, very still, as she observed her sleeping Lord. His face slack with the neutrality of sleep, he looked even more beautiful. His lips slightly parted, his face was soft and relaxed. It was a rare ting to see Sesshomaru like this, and she felt unexplainable joy that it was she who saw him this way. He has so unearthly beautiful, the demon markings on his on his pale skin the only thing that interrupted his aristocratic features, and his fine silver hair that fell in a curtain around him. She could remember the feeling of his hair between her fingers as a girl. She remembered once in particular, when she was perhaps twelve or thirteen, braiding her hair after she had bathed in a hot spring, and watching as Sesshomaru emerged from the trees back into their camp site, his sopping wet hair a tangled, and soaking through his kimono. Rin had frowned and asked her Lord if she might comb his hair. After much imploring, Sesshomaru had caved to her will and grudgingly sat, cross-legged, in front of Rin. She smiled as she wrung the water from his heavy, wet hair, and set to work combing his long mane of hair. She had started at the bottom, taking care not to pull at his hair, which had been hard work, considering the fact that he likely hadn't combed out his hair since he had last stayed at the western palace. Despite looking sleek on the outside, his thick hair held a deceptive core of knots, or at least, that was the way it had seemed. Perhaps that had been the time when Rin had resolved to grow her hair long like his. When she was finally done, it was soft and shiny as silk, and the color of wet snow.

Rin sighed. She missed those times. When she could comb out her Lord's hair, or say his name with no honorifics preceding it, or touch his hand without being filled with a sense of wrongdoing, or awkwardness. It seemed as though the innocence of their relationship had been lost now. Everything action became a suspicious one, and nothing was simple anymore. Certainly this was no longer innocent, the way she lay here with him. They had done nothing wrong, but now there was a sense of taboo. It was because she was no longer a child; she was a woman, and he was a full grown man.

'Do I truly miss the innocence," Rin thought to herself, 'or do I want something else from Sesshomaru?'

Rin was roused from her thoughts as the hand at the small of her back twitched, and Sesshomaru stirred from his sleep. His amber eyes opened, alert as ever, and immediately focused on her.

"Good morning, Rin," he said to her.

Rin smiled hugely. "Good morning, Lord Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru's brows furrowed slightly in annoyance. "In private, do not call me by title anymore," he told her.

Rin's smile softened to a gentler one. "Yes, Sesshomaru," she said, not missing a beat. A pleasant warmth spread through Rin, and she couldn't help as her cheeks flushed a bit.

Sesshomaru let head his head fall back, resting against the outside wall of Rin's bedroom. He didn't want to look at her silly smile, or her silly pink cheeks, lest her infectious mirth cause his lips to curl as well. Instead he looked out off the balcony, as the soft light of the morning sun cast the landscape below in a strikingly beautiful and somewhat eerie cast of violet and palest orange. Perhaps he would have a kimono made for Rin with a pattern just such as this on it. Or maybe he would wait until the snowfall and have Hitsuji make one for the girl then. He imagined she would look lovely in white. He shut his eyes a moment, suddenly shocked with himself. He was nearly as bad as his half-brother.

"Sesshomaru?" Rin asked.

He looked at her again. "Hn?"

"How often do you need to sleep?" she asked curiously.

He smiled for a moment. A glimpse of the child that would always be there, he thought to himself. "Very rarely do I need to sleep, though sometimes I will sleep to pass the time," he told her.

She nodded, and they sat for a while together. "Sesshomaru…" Rin said his name, as if testing it.

He inclined his head to look at her. "Hn?"

She shook her hands in front of her face frantically. "Oh, ah, sorry, no I was just…saying your name. It just sounds strange to me, is all."

Sesshomaru arched a graceful brow at her, and Rin became more frantic, immediately looking at her feet. She turned her body from his and winced as her sutures tugged painfully on the tender healing flesh.

"Let me see your sutures again," Sesshomaru told her.

She obliged, pulling down the sleeve of her kosode, bearing the slowly healing stitches to him.

Sesshomaru's nose was immediately assaulted by the smell of healing flesh and something else; the subtle smell of putrefying flesh, so faint that he could only smell it when Rin bared her shoulder. Sesshomaru thought nothing of it. Far be it from him to judge the way a human body healed when he knew nothing of it. It was amazing to him how very fragile humans were. If he chose, he could tear her asunder where she sat and she would provide no resistance. So why then, did he feel as if he wanted her beside him? Why did he feel as though he should protect such a delicate creature?

'_Who do you love, Lord Sesshomaru?' _

The question ran through his mind. It had been so long that she had said that to him.

"_I love no one," he told the girl. He leaned back against the large rock, its cold stealing the warmth from his body in the cold night. Rin sat atop the rock and was busying herself with braiding his hair. He had eventually stopped caring what she did to amuse herself after a time, especially since most of it had to do with being fascinated in his hair, or calling to him to play childish games._

"_But, everyone loves someone," she told him, matter of fact. "Not even your Mom or Dad?" she asked._

_Sesshomaru distracted the girl from her question. "Who does Rin love?" he asked. What would he do when she was old enough to tell what he was doing?_

"_Well…" Rin began, "I love Lord Sesshomaru," she told him, "and…" she said, drawing out the word, "I love Ah-Un, and I love Master Jaken, even though he's mean to me sometimes, and…" she trailed off. "I guess that's it," she told him, in a slightly puzzled manor, as if she had thought that particular list to be much longer._

What silly things humans were. But she was just a child then, and had since grown into a woman. He had changed too, just not outwardly. Did she still love him, after the years of separation, after he had left her behind?

Rin pulled the sleeve of her Kosode up again. "A servant will soon be into my chambers to wake me," she told him hesitantly. Rin didn't want him to go, but doubtless it would not be good to have more rumors than there already were circulating.

He nodded. "Then I will take my leave," he told her.

Rin removed her stiff body from his embrace, her muscles aching, and her joints making several loud popping noises as she stood. Oh was she going to be sore today. Of course, she could not bring herself to regret it, especially as she watched her demon Lord rise as gracefully as a dancer. She couldn't help but smile.

"I will someone to fetch you later this morning." He told her.

"Why?" she asked.

"Today is the day that Jaken returns from his surveys of the surrounding provinces with Ah-Un," he told her.

"Ah-Un!" she exclaimed. "I haven't seen them in ages!" she said, paying no heed to the word of Jaken's return

Sesshomaru smiled inwardly, as he turned to leave. Such silly creatures.


	7. About to go Awry

A/N: Eh heh heh heh. Long time no see, huh? Sorry about the stupidly long delay. I've had some real problems of late, and have had little time to write at all lately. Sorry in advance for the short chapter, I'll try and make the next one a bit lengthier.

Goodbye is for Tomorrow

Chapter 7

"Lord Jaken! Ah-Un!" Rin exclaimed as Jaken touched down, and Ah-Un reared up in excitement to see Rin running towards him, throwing Jaken from the saddle. Rin threw herself against the dragon who grunted happily as Rin scratched his scaled necks. The dragon lazily rolled onto his side into the grass in front of the stables and groaned, and Rin kneeled at his side rubbed his stomach. Ah placed his muzzled jaws in her lap, and Rin, understanding, skillfully removed the muzzle, and Ah's long tongue snaked out and licked a long, wet streak up the side of her face.

"Ah! That's so gross."

Un raised his head and growled in a pouting way until Rin removed his muzzle as well. The dragon nuzzled Rin as Sesshomaru looked on amused.

"My Lord!" Jaken exclaimed. "Who _is _this disrespectful girl?" he asked angrily.

"That girl is Rin, Jaken, have your forgotten her smell?"

"What?" Jaken cried. "This girl is really Rin?" Jaken ran over and examined the girl as she and Ah-Un played. "It _is_!"

"Oh, Hello, Master Jaken," Rin said as she struggled to get up with Ah-Un amusing himself by pinning her down with a clawed foot.

"Rin, look how you've grown! I didn't even recognize you."

"Jaken," Sesshomaru said. "Let us leave Rin to Ah-Un, and come tell me what you've seen."

"Oh, ah—yes Milord," Jaken replied, running after Sesshomaru, who was already taking his leave, giving another passing glance to Rin.

"Let me up, Let me up!" Rin exclaimed, Ah-Un staring curiously at her as she flailed her limbs in an effort to get up. Ah-Un lifted his great claw from her and she sat up. She stretched her sutured shoulder. It pained her, and was sore, but was no longer the fresh, sharp pain of an open wound. "Do you want to go for a walk, Ah-Un?" she asked, and the Dragon snorted in approval. Rin got up and detached the saddle bags from him, and expertly hopped on his saddle and tapped her heels on his sides to signal him to fly. Ah-Un leapt into the air and they immediately were flying. Rin gripped the handles on the saddle tightly, having decided to forego the muzzle and reins. The cold wind felt in a way, so freeing and good as it burned against her face. She had missed this. She and Ah-Un had always been the best of friends when she was a child. When she was perhaps twelve, or thirteen, when the danger of Naraku had passed, she was allowed to go more or less where she pleased to pass the time in a day, and when she was feeling upset, or sometimes, even just when she was bored, she would take Ah-Un and they would fly. The sight of the never ending landscape passing beneath them had always been calming to her, and now, as an adult, it was no exception. She hadn't realized until then, how jittery and nervous she had been all week until she was able to relax. She breathed out a sigh of relief. She loved to be in Sesshomaru's company, but he was so intense about everything he did that it was hard not to feel so tightly wound when she was in his company.

Ah-Un grunted at her, sensing her disease, and Rin, as she often used to as a child, told him everything that was troubling her. She told him all about what had happened between her and Sesshomaru and she told him how unsure she was about everything. She mused aloud about what it all meant, and if it was possible for Sesshomaru to ever love her. Certainly he did care for her; of that, she never had any doubt, but could he love her? Was she not just a child to him?

"I feel like my heart is breaking because I just….I just love him so damn much."

Everything suddenly felt so silent. As if the whole world held its breath waiting for her admission of love. Ah turned his head to her and grunted sympathetically.

She looked down at her hands on the saddle in embarrassment. "Do you think it's stupid, Ah-Un?" She asked.

He shook his great head slowly. Ah-Un was so wise. He never judged Rin, and he always understood. She gazed out onto the horizon as the sun began to descend, seemingly into the earth, casting the forested landscape a brilliant shade of orange.

She sighed. "I just don't really know what to do, Ah-Un, but thank you for listening. Do you think we should head back soon?"

Ah-Un grunted I confirmation, and began a lazy circle back towards the fortress.

Rin's mind raced. What would she do? Could she even do anything? She felt so lost; as if she were adrift in the sea of her own fate, and she could no more alter that than she could tell the sun to stop shining.

…..::::….::::….::::….

Weeks passed, and just as Sesshomaru had promised, Rin's training began again. Rin learned quickly, but Sesshomaru, seeing how sluggish she was with something as cumbersome as the kogarasu-maru, quickly gave to her a much lighter, thinner, double edged straight sword, and was amazed at the progress. The transformation had been instant. With the needle like tip, and razor sharp edges, she could now be counted as dangerous. She was quick as a snake's strike, and once or twice, had come close to striking him. Of course, he could have crushed her had he been using any of his demonic abilities, but once or twice she had come very, very close to anticipating his movements and matching his speed. He secretly had relished the devilish smile on the girl's face when she too had realized what she had come so close to, but quickly pummeled her into submission.

One day, when Rin was splashing water from the pond on her face, she glanced to where he was sitting patiently, and asked, "So, would you say I'm doing well?" She hadn't dared ask him, but she wanted to know, she wanted his approval.

Sesshomaru seemed distracted, and after a second's hesitation, he replied, "Yes, very well indeed."

She couldn't help bet grin stupidly, turning from him to hide it, but she wondered what had been eating at him for the last couple of weeks. He always seemed so distracted of late. She sat back on her heels and cast him a sideways glance. "If I'm not overstepping my bounds, may I ask what has been bothering you?" she asked. She refrained, as per his request, from calling him "Lord Sesshomaru," but was still hesitant to use his name, and so of late had been trying to avoid addressing him at all unless strictly necessary.

Sesshomaru seemed to come back to reality once again and turned to look at her, mildly surprised she had asked such a thing. Perhaps he was being obvious about his moods? How unlike him, he thought to himself.

He looked away, back into the reflective surface of the pond, noting the leaves that now floated on its surface had distinct red and yellow hues to them. Autumn was upon them, and then so too soon would be Rin's anniversary of birth, he mused.

"Jaken has reported that the Northern provinces threaten war upon us," he told her offhandedly.

"What?" she exclaimed. "Why?"

"Resources, wealth, power, conquest, perhaps my Bakusaiga? What these things are usually caused over," he said, again, like it wasn't a big deal.

"What are you going to do about it?" she asked.

"I expect Mother and I will ready an army to quash any ideas of takeover before they bloom into all-out war."

Rin didn't believe the calmness with which he stated all of this. "Perhaps have you been through many wars before?" she asked him.

He nodded. "I've been alive a long time, and I have lived through many wars. This will be no different from the rest."

Rin was mildly skeptical. She ran her we hands over her braided hair, wetting away the stray hairs that had come loose.

"Yeah, you're probably right," she said, gazing into her warped reflection in the water. Rin couldn't push the feeling away that something was about to go awry. It was like this tightness in the pit of her stomach that refused to leave.

"Don't fear, Rin," he told her, "this has all been done before.

She forced a smile. "Okay."


End file.
